Continuous tier

ABSTRACT

A bag closer having V-belts gripping and carrying the bag into a separable gathering pocket and against a length of twistable strand and then releasing the bag; pushers compacting the gathered bag neck and moving the gathered bag neck through the separable pocket and against and past a flipper which swings the trailing ends of the strand into a continuously revolving twister hook which twists the strand ends together while the bag neck continues to move along a linear path.

United States Patent Zellmer et a1.

[ Mar. 114, 1972 [54] CONTINUOUS TIER 3,283,474 11/1966 Bower ..53/135 Inventors: August R zeumer New Richmond, Wis; 3,481,106 12/1969 Tetrlck ..53/ 135 John D. Tetrick, White Bear Lake, Minn. Primary Emmi"er Travis S. M CG eh e e [73] Assignee: Domain Industries, Inc., New Richmond, Assistant Exflminef-NeilAbfams wi AttorneyWil1iamson, Palmatier and lBains, George F. Wil- [22] F1 d J 8 1970 liamson,H. Dale Palmatier and Herman H. Bains 1e an.

21 Appl. No.: 1,441 [57] ABSTRACT A bag closer having V-belts gripping and carrying the bag into 52 us. (:1 ..53/135 SeParable gathering Pocket and against a length ftwistable [51] Int Cl i B, 51/08 strand and then releasing the bag; pushers compacting the gathered bag neck and moving the gathered bag neck throu [58] FieldotSearch ..53/135, 138 198 the separable pocket and against and past a flipper which swings the trailing ends of the strand into a continuously [56] References Cited revolving twister hook which twists the strand ends together UNITED STATES PATENTS while the bag neck continues to move along a linear path.

3,242,633 3/1966 Platt, Jr. eta] ..53/ 10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures l Ni 1 5 55 21 47 ll 5 6'1 7 9 ii a 1 E 15! .20 Ill Q 1 ll l u 58 If @1 1 \l l ill 51 o *1! 1 1 I "'l 1522 111.1 pl i 11:135 l||h4 lh. ull. 4 34 a I "5'4 "1. o 16 o 3" ill. 7 l 4 1|. 52 22 ll 19 1 1 G 1 14 Ii: lll 55 252414115 1 1H PATENTEDHAR 14 I972 SHEET 3 [1F 3 IN VEN'I'UR. MW? 2am y JOHN 0. HTTP/CK CONTINUOUS TIER BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The top of the bag is moved into and gathered in a pocket wherein a length of twistable strand is applied to the gathered bag neck. The gathering pocket opens as the gathered bag neck and strand are pushed on in the same direction toward a twisting hook. As the bag neck approaches the twisting hook, the bag neck encounters the operating cam portion of a flipper which is swung as the bag neck is pushed by, so as to swing the trailing ends of the twistable strand off to one side and into the twisting hook while the gathered bag neck continues to travel on by and away from the twisting hook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the invention. FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged elevation view with certain of the bagguiding shrouds removed for clarity of detail.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section view taken approximately at 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail section view taken along a broken line as indicated at 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a detail view taken approximately at 5-5 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail elevation view of a portion of the operating mechanism on the rear side of the mounting panel.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail section view taken approximately at 77 in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C are detail views showing the several stages of operation of the flipper together with the twisting hook.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION One form of the invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein. The bag closer is indicated in general by numeral 10 and works in cooperation with a conveyor C which carries bags thereon in lying position with the closed ends of the bags being disposed adjacent the edge Cl and the open ends of the bags being adjacent the end edge C2 with an ample portion of the open end of the bag extending beyond the edge C2 to be received between the bag guides 11 so as to engage the bag straightening and flattening brushes 12 which are turning at high speed in the direction of the arrows as indicated. The brushes 12, together with the guides 11, orient the flattened bag neck to be received between V-belts 13 and 14 which are continuously traveling in the direction of arrow B. The V-belts 13 and 14 are traveling at identical speeds and are driven from identically sized pulleys 13a and 14a; and the V- belts are also guided along the bag gripping run by idlers 13b and 14b. The belt 13 diverges away from the belt 14 at the idler 13b so as to release the bag at that location. A pair of roller chains 15 and 16 extend substantially parallel to the bag carrying and gripping runs of V-belts 13 and 14 and are trained around idler sprockets l7 and drive sprockets 18 which are mounted in side by side relation on shaft 19 which also mounts and drives the V-belt driving pulley 14a. In view of the relative sizes between sprockets l8 and pulleys 14a and 15a, the linear speed of the roller chains 15 and 16 is greater than the linear speed of the V-belts. The roller chains 15 and 16 carry projections or bag pushers 15a and 160, respectively, which are disposed side by side and which are spaced along the chains 15 and 16 from similar pushers 15a, 16a to synchronize with the flights F on the conveyor C so as to engage the sequence of bags traveling along the conveyor.

The speed of the V-belts 13 and 14 is substantially the same as the speed of conveyor C, and the speed of chains 15 and 16 is somewhat greater than the speed of the V-belts. Driving power is applied to the shaft 19 and to shaft 20 mounting pulley 13a from a source of power at the rear side of the mounting plate 21.

The bag gripping and conveying runs 13 and 14 of the V- belts carry the flattened bag into a gathering pocket 22 which is defined between a stationary guide block 23 rigidly mounted to the frame plate 21, and a swingable guide 24 mounted on a rocker shaft 25 which extends through bearings on the frame plate 21 and to the rear side thereof for swinging or rocking a release bar 26 for a one cycle clutch as seen in FIG. 6.

The guides 23 and 24 cooperatively define the opposite sides of the gathering pocket 22; and. the oblique edge 22a of the guide 24 converges toward the edge of guide 23 to define an apex at the normally closed end of pocket 22. The swinga ble guide 24 normally bears against the stationary guide 23, but may be swung in the direction of arrow G to open the normally closed end of the pocket to permit passage of a gathered bag neck therethrough. The swingable guide 24 is normally maintained in the position shown in FIG. 2 and is returned thereto by a spring 28 acting through lever arm 28a as seen in An elongate bar 23.1 forms the leading end of guide 23, and the lower edges thereof are coextensive for holding the bag downwardly and in front of the pushers 150. Bar 23.1, though normally stationary, is mounted on pin 23.2 in guide 23 to permit the bar 23.] to swing upwardly in the event of a jammed bag. Aninterlock switch 23.3 is operated by feeler 23.4 which senses upward swinging of bar 23.] and will stop the machine.

Both of the stationary and movable guides 23 and 24 have strand-receiving openings 23a, 24a tranversely therethrough and intersecting with the gathering pocket 22 for receiving successive lengths Lof twistable strand S from a stationary guide 29 affixed on the frame plate 21.

The stationary guide 29 also has a strand-receiving opening 29a therethrough and an anvil cutting edge 30 to cooperate with a slidable blade 31 for severing successive lengths L of the strand.

Adjacent the guide 24 is a flipper 32 swingably mounted on a pivot 33. The flipper 32 has a cam portion 34 normally immediately below the guide 23 to be engaged by a gathered neck pushed along the guide 23 by the pushers 15a, 16a so as to swing the flipper 32 into an upright position as seen in FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C so that the rearwardly extending or trailing end portions of the length L of strand are swung off to one side for engagement with the continuously operating twisting hook 35. As best seen in FIG. 4, the guide 23 is slotted at 23b to receive the flipper 32 and the twister book 35. A stationary pin 36 extends across the slot 23b of guide 23 to engage the juxtaposed ends of the length L of the strand as they are swung to the side by the flipper 32, substantially as illustrated in FIG. 8B so as to assure that the two ends of the length of strand are lying against each other as they approach the twister hook 35 Another short stationary pin 37 is mounted on the front side 23b of the stationary guide and projects toward the twister hook mounting shaft 38 for engaging the ends of the length of twistable strand after the strand has been picked up by the twister hook and twisting is commenced. The pin 37 requires that the ends of the length of twistable strand pass between the pin 37 and the twister hook 35, thereby assuring that the strand is twisted as the twister hook is revolved. As a result the twistable strand tightly fixes the gathered bag neck in closed condition. The twister hook shaft 38 is driven from a gear box 39 which is connected directly to a continuously operating drive motor 40 on the frame plate.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the twister hook shaft 38 extends into the slotted portion 23b of the guide 23 and an additional slot 230 is provided in the front web 23b for receiving the ends of the twister hook 35.

The shaft 19 also carries a number of large rigid discs 41, 42, 43 and 43.1 which lift the gathered and tied bag neck away from the pushers 15a, 16a after the twistable strand has been twisted onto the bag neck. The chain 16 lies between the discs 42 and 43 and is mounted on the drive sprocket 18 therebetween, and the twisted strand passes over the space between the discs 41 and 42 as the conveyor C continues to carry the bag away.

The strand S is supplied from a spool 45 rotatably mounted on a bracket attached to the frame plate 21, and a guide sheave or pulley 46. The strand S is guided through a stationary sleeve 47 toward the opening 290 in the stationary guide 29. A hard rubber idler roller 48 is journaled in a suitable bearing on the frame plate 21 adjacent the sleeve 47 and opposite and intermittently rotatable drive wheel 49 mounted on a shaft 50 which is driven from the one revolution clutch 27. The drive wheel 49 also mounts a roller 51 for intermittently engaging and bearing against a cam surface 52 of the blade mounting arm 53 which is swingably mounted on the frame plate 21 at mounting pin 54. The mounting arm 54 has an opening 53a therein wherein the roller 51 is permitted to revolve, and the cam surface 52 defines one side of said opening 5311 so that, as the strand-driving wheel 49 revolves through a single revolution for each cycle of operation, the roller 51 will operate against the cam surface 52 and swing the arm 53 to the left as seen in FIG. 2, so as to move the blade 31 across the anvil edge 30 of the guide 29 for severing the strand S.

As seen in FIG. 6, the input shaft 27' of the one revolution clutch is continuously driven in conjunction with the continuous driving of shafts l9 and 20 by the chain sprocket 27a. The one revolution clutch 27 applies power to the shaft 50 when the member 26 is swung off the obstruction 27b so that one revolution of the shaft 50 is made, and when the single revolution is completed, the rotation is stopped again by the member 26. Although the single revolution clutch illustrated is mechanically controlled, a suitable single revolution clutch which is electrically controlled may be substituted.

When the one revolution clutch 27 is in its normal and stationary position as illustrated in FIG. 6, the strand-driving wheel is in stationary position, illustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the peripheral surface 49a thereof has one end almost engaging the twistable strand S, which is at that instant extending 3 downwardly through the guides 22 and 23 and across pocket 22. When the bag, travelling through pocket 22, swings the guide 24 downwardly, the wheel 49 is started through its one complete revolution for that cycle, whereupon, the cam 51 operates to move the arm 53 and blade 31 to effect severing the strand S, to permit a length L thereof to be carried along with the gathered bag neck. After the bag has cleared the pocket 22 to permit swinging of the guide 24 up to its original position, the peripheral surface 49a will engage the strand S and pinch the strand against the wheel 48 to deliver another length of strand downwardly through the openings 23a, 24a for the next cycle of operation.

At the start of the cycle the top end of a filled bag passes between the belts l3 and 14 and into the gathering pocket 22. Substantially as the leading edge of the bag is being gathered in the pocket 22, the pushers 15a, 16a on the chains 15 and 16 overtake the trailing edge of the bag and push this trailing edge into the gathering pocket 22 so as to completely gather the bag neck and compact the gathered bag neck.

When the gathering is completed by the pushers 15a, 16a, and the gathered bag neck is completed, the pushers 15a, 16a, acting on both sides of the bag neck, immediately adjacent the guides 23, 24, continue to move the gathered bag neck along the guide 23 and cause a downward swinging of the guide 24 and a slight rocking of shaft 25. The rocking of the shaft 25 releases the one revolution clutch 27 so that the shaft 50 is driven, thereby turning the strand driving wheel 49 as described above.

The gathered bag neck being moved by the pushers 15a, 16a toward the flipper 32 will engage the cam portion 34 thereof and cause swinging of the flipper, successively through the positions shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C. As previously described, the trailing ends of the length of twistable strand swing upwardly and are picked up by the twisting hook simultaneously and passed beneath the pin 37 as the twisting hook winds the ends of the strand around each other for afflxing the gathered bag neck in closed condition. During this closing and twisting of the strand, the gathered bag neck continues to move along the guide 23 under influence of the pushers 15a,

16a and with the conveyor C so that there is no stopping or hesitation of the bag neck whatever in the closing operation. As the bag neck encounters the discs 41, 42 and 43, it is lifted upwardly, away from the pushers 15a, 16a and is completely released.

The flipper 32 is returned downwardly by spring 320 as soon as the bag passes by so it can be prepared to receive another bag neck immediately. It is to be noted that the filled bags are supported on the conveyor C and the open end of the bag is gripped by the belts l3 and I4; and the gathering of the bag neck is efi'ected at a location between the V-belts and the fill in the bag so that the bag is pulled tightly around the fill therein at the gathering pocket 22 so that the length of twistable strand is applied to maintain the bag tightly around the fill therein.

It will be seen that I have provided a new and improved closer for bags wherein the twisting hook operates continuously and wherein the bag necks are gathered and moved linearly along the closer without any manipulation whatever to either side and without any degree of hesitation or stopping. The flattened bag neck is delivered to the gathering pocket by the V-belts which immediately release the bag neck which is subsequently immediately pushed along by the pushers so that movement of the bag neck is continuous through the closer. The twisting hook picks up the ends of the twistable strand by operation of the flipper which swings these ends of the twistable strand off to one side and into the twister, the flipper being operated by continuous movement of the gathered bag neck along the guide 23.

We claim:

1. A bag closer for filled bags moving along a line for processing, comprising straightening means receiving the open ends of the bags and flattening such open ends to lie parallel to the direction of travel,

a conveyor gripping the open ends of such bags in flattened condition and moving with the bags in the same direction of travel, and said conveyor retaining such open ends against any appreciable movement transversely of said direction,

gathering means at one side of the conveyor and including a pair of elongate guides on opposite sides of the path of travel of the flattened bag and extending therealong, said guides cooperatively defining an elongate gathering pocket having an open end receiving the flattened bag during gathering and a closed end obstructing movement of the flattened bag and effecting gathering thereof, the guides defining the opposite sides of the pocket and converging to an apex at the closed end of the pocket, one of said guides being movable away from the other at the apex to permit movement of the gathered bag neck out of the pocket and past the guides,

yieldable means normally retaining said guides against each other at the closed end of the pocket,

pusher means engaging and urging the gathered bag neck through said pocket and in said direction of travel,

and operable means fixing the bag neck in gathered conditron.

2. A bag tier for filled bags, comprising means gathering the bag neck and applying a length of twistable strand to the gathered bag neck with ends of the strand extended rearwardly therefrom relative to the direction of travel,

a twisting hook at one side of the path of travel of the gathered bag neck and continuously revolving on an axis extending transversely of and toward said path of travel,

means guiding the gathered bag neck along a predetermined path of travel adjacent the twisting hook,

and a flipper adjacent the twisting hook and engaging the rearwardly extended ends of the strand and swinging said ends transversely of the direction of travel to the side of the path of travel for engagement and twisting by said hook while the bag neck continues to move substantially linearly.

3. The bag closer according to claim 1 and said conveyor having means effecting release of said bag adjacent the gathering pocket,

said pusher means operating independently of said conveyor and carrying the gathered bag neck away from said pocket,

means applying a length of twistable strand to the gathered bag neck with the ends of the strand extended rearwardly therefrom as the pusher means carries the gathered bag neck away from the gathering pocket,

a twisting hook at one side of the path of travel of the gathered bag neck as carried by said pusher means, and said hook continuously revolving on an axis extending transversely of and toward said path of travel,

and a flipper adjacent the twisting hook and engaging the rearwardly extended ends of the strand and swinging said ends transversely of the direction of travel to the side of the path of travel for engagement and twisting by said hook while the bag neck continues to move substantially linearly.

4. The bag tier according to claim 2 wherein said flipper includes a cam portion aligned with said path of travel and engageable with the gathered bag neck to be moved thereby for operating said flipper to swing the strand ends to said hook.

5. The bag tier according to claim 2 and pusher means engaging and continuously moving the gathered neck along said flipper and twisting hook.

6. The bag tier according to claim 2 and including a pin adjacent the flipper and at said one side of the path oftravel, said pin partially obstructing the swinging of the ends of the strand whereby to position the strand ends against each other in juxtaposition as the twisting hook first engages the strand ends.

7. The bag tier according to claim 2 and also including a pin lying close to the orbit of the twisting hook to engage and retard the strand ends and to allow the twisting hook to pass between said pin and the gathered bag neck to assure that the hook produces continued twisting of the strand.

8. The bag closer according to claim 1 and said conveyor includes means effecting release of the bag immediately after gathering is completed,

and said pusher means moving in the direction of and along said conveyor and at a speed faster than the conveyor, the pusher means overtaking the bag at said gathering means and assisting in gathering the trailing edge portion of the flattened bag, said pusher means moving the gathered bag neck past said gathering means and to said operable means.

9. A bag closer for filled bags moving along a line for processing, comprising gathering means for the neck of the bags and including a pair of elongate guides to receive the neck of the bag therebetween, said guides cooperatively defining an elongate gathering pocket having an open end receiving the flattened bag during gathering and a closed end obstruct ing movement of the flattened bag and efiecting gathering thereof, the guides defining the opposite sides of the pocket and obliquely converging to an apex at the closed end of the pocket, one of the guides being movable away from the other at the apex to permit movement of the gathered bag neck out of the pocket and past the guides,

pushing means engaging the bag neck adjacent the guides and pushing the trailing end of the bag neck into the gathering pocket for completion of the gathering of the bag neck, said pusher means carrying the gathered bag neck through the apex end of the pocket and away from said guides with a length of twistable strand applied to the gathered neck and with the ends of the strand extended rearwardly therefrom relative to the direction of travel,

a twisting hook at one side of the path of travel of the gathered bag neck and continuously revolving on an axis extending transversely of and toward the side of the path,

and a flipper adjacent the twisting hook and having a cam portion aligned with the path of travel of the gathered bag neck to be operated thereby, said flipper engaging the rearwardly extending ends of the strand and swinging under influence of the cam portion to swing the ends of the strand transversely of the direction of travel for 'engagement and twisting by said hook while the bag neck continues to move substantially linearly under the influence of said pusher means.

10. The bag closer according to claim 9 and including V belts gripping and conveying the bag neck to the gathering pocket, said V-belts separating adjacent said pocket to release the bag neck for further travel under the influence of said pusher means. 

2. A bag tier for filled bags, comprising means gathering the bag neck and applying a length of twistable strand to the gathered bag neck with ends of the strand extended rearwardly therefrom relative to the direction of travel, a twisting hook at one side of the path of travel of the gathered bag neck and continuously revolving on an axis extending transversely of and toward said path of travel, means guiding the gathered bag neck along a predetermined path of travel adjacent the twisting hook, and a flipper adjacent the twisting hook and engaging the rearwardly extended ends of the strand and swinging said ends transversely of the direction of travel to the side of the path of travel for engagement and twisting by said hook while the bag neck continues to move substantially linearly.
 3. The bag closer according to claim 1 and said conveyor having means effecting release of said bag adjacent the gathering pocket, said pusher means operating independently of said conveyor and carrying the gathered bag neck away from said pocket, means applying a length of twistable strand to the gathered bag neck with the ends of the strand extended rearwardly therefrom as the pusher means carries the gathered bag neck away from the gathering pocket, a twisting hook at one side of the path of travel of the gathered bag neck as carried by said pusher means, and said hook continuously revolving on an axis extending transversely of and toward said path of travel, and a flipper adjacent the twisting hook and engaging the rearwardly extended ends of the strand and swinging said ends transversely of the direction of travel to the side of the path of travel for engagement and twisting by said hook while the bag neck continues to move substantially linearly.
 4. The bag tier according to claim 2 wherein said flipper includes a cam portion aligned with said path of travel and engageable with the gathered bag neck to be moved thereby for operating said flipper to swing the strand ends to said hook.
 5. The bag tier according to claim 2 and pusher means engaging and continuously moving the gathered neck along said flipper and twisting hook.
 6. The bag tier according to claim 2 and including a pin adjacent the flipper and at said one side of the path of travel, said pin partially obstructing the swinging of the ends of the strand whereby to position the strand ends against each other in juxtaposition as the twisting hook first engages the strand ends.
 7. The bag tier according to claim 2 and also including a pin lying close to the orbit of the twisting hook to engage and retard the strand ends and to allow the twisting hook to pass between said pin and the gathered bag neck to assure that the hook produces continued twisting of the strand.
 8. The bag closer according to claim 1 and said conveyor includes means effecting release of the bag immediately after gathering is completed, and said pusher means moving in the direction of and along said conveyor and at a speed faster than the conveyor, the pusher means overtaking the bag at said gathering means and assisting in gathering the trailing edge portion of the flattened bag, said pusher means moving the gathered bAg neck past said gathering means and to said operable means.
 9. A bag closer for filled bags moving along a line for processing, comprising gathering means for the neck of the bags and including a pair of elongate guides to receive the neck of the bag therebetween, said guides cooperatively defining an elongate gathering pocket having an open end receiving the flattened bag during gathering and a closed end obstructing movement of the flattened bag and effecting gathering thereof, the guides defining the opposite sides of the pocket and obliquely converging to an apex at the closed end of the pocket, one of the guides being movable away from the other at the apex to permit movement of the gathered bag neck out of the pocket and past the guides, pushing means engaging the bag neck adjacent the guides and pushing the trailing end of the bag neck into the gathering pocket for completion of the gathering of the bag neck, said pusher means carrying the gathered bag neck through the apex end of the pocket and away from said guides with a length of twistable strand applied to the gathered neck and with the ends of the strand extended rearwardly therefrom relative to the direction of travel, a twisting hook at one side of the path of travel of the gathered bag neck and continuously revolving on an axis extending transversely of and toward the side of the path, and a flipper adjacent the twisting hook and having a cam portion aligned with the path of travel of the gathered bag neck to be operated thereby, said flipper engaging the rearwardly extending ends of the strand and swinging under influence of the cam portion to swing the ends of the strand transversely of the direction of travel for engagement and twisting by said hook while the bag neck continues to move substantially linearly under the influence of said pusher means.
 10. The bag closer according to claim 9 and including V-belts gripping and conveying the bag neck to the gathering pocket, said V-belts separating adjacent said pocket to release the bag neck for further travel under the influence of said pusher means. 